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December 22

Lesson 4 (NIV)

MARY’S PRAISE

DEVOTIONAL READING: 1 Samuel 2:1–10

BACKGROUND SCRIPTURE: Luke 1:39–56

LUKE 1:39–56

39 At that time Mary got ready and

hurried to a town in the hill country

of Judea, 40 where she entered

Zechariah’s home and greeted Eliza-

beth. 41 When Elizabeth heard Mary’s

greeting, the baby leaped in her

womb, and Elizabeth was filled with

the Holy Spirit. 42 In a loud voice she

exclaimed: “Blessed are you among

women, and blessed is the child you

will bear! 43 But why am I so favored,

that the mother of my Lord should

come to me? 44 As soon as the sound of

your greeting reached my ears, the

baby in my womb leaped for joy. 45 Blessed is she who has believed that

the Lord would fulfill his promises to

her!”

Photo: Amelie1 / iStock / Thinkstock

46 And Mary said:

“My soul glorifies the Lord47 and my spirit rejoices in God my

Savior,48 for he has been mindful

of the humble state of his

servant.

From now on all generations will

call me blessed,49 for the Mighty One has done great

things for me—

holy is his name.50 His mercy extends to those who

fear him,

from generation to generation.51 He has performed mighty deeds

with his arm;

he has scaGered those who are

proud in their inmost thoughts.52 He has brought down rulers from

Nickelson, R. L., Kenney, J. A., Williams, M. K., & Gerke, J. (Eds.). (2019). The NIV Standard Lesson Commentary, 2019–2020 (Vol. 26). Colorado Springs, CO: Standard Publishing.


their thrones

but has liHed up the humble.53 He has filled the hungry with good

things

but has sent the rich away

empty.54 He has helped his servant Israel,

remembering to be merciful55 to Abraham and his descendants

forever,

just as he promised our

ancestors.”56 Mary stayed with Elizabeth for

about three months and then

returned home.

KEY VERSES

Mary said: “My soul glorifies the Lord

and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior.”

—Luke 1:46, 47

HONORING GOD

Unit 1: David Honors God

LESSONS 1–5

LESSON AIMS

A�er participating in this lesson, each

learner will be able to:

1. Retell the story of Mary’s visit to

Elizabeth and the song of praise that

resulted.

2. Explain the significance of Mary’s

song with regard to its vision of the king-

dom of God.

3. Write a prayer (or song) of thanks-

giving that celebrates the ways in which

God has blessed his or her life.

LESSON OUTLINE

Introduction

A. A New Arrival

B. Lesson Context

I. Family Visit (LUKE 1:39–45)

A. Traveling (vv. 39, 40)

B. Jumping for Joy (v. 41)

C. Praising (vv. 42–45)

Say Something Nice

II. Expectant Mother’s Song (LUKE

1:46–56)

A. Blessings for Mary (vv. 46–48)

B. @e Mighty One (vv. 49–51)

All Generations

C. A Great Reversal (vv. 52, 53)

D. Blessings for Israel (vv. 54–56)

Conclusion

A. A Song of Praise for All

B. Prayer

C. @ought to Remember

HOW TO SAY IT

Gabriel Gay-bree-ul.

Hebron Hee-brun or Heb-run.

Magnificat Mag-nif-ih-cot.

Manoah Muh-no-uh.



messianic mess-ee-an-ick.

Zechariah Zek-uh-rye-uh.

Zephaniah Zef-uh-nye-uh.

Introduction

A. A New Arrival

How do you react when you find out

someone you love is expecting a child?

For many people, the birth of a child is a

time of great joy—and rightly so. A new

baby signifies many things: the love

between a husband and wife, the

enlargement of a family, the arrival of a

new generation, the extension of a family

line, and so forth.

Yet sometimes other feelings sur-

round the arrival of a child—feelings

such as worry and anxiety for the future,

fear or uncertainty about the reactions of

others, and mistrust between the par-

ents. @e Scriptures reveal such

instances. Consider the mixed feelings

that must have aIended the birth of Seth

in the a�ermath of the murder of Abel

(Genesis 4:25). Or think of the fear that

Moses’ mother experienced that led her

to hide her new baby boy in the reeds

(Exodus 2:1–3).

Today’s lesson concerns a birth

announcement that was simultaneously

incredible and terrifying to the young

woman who received it. How would she

respond to the announcement?

B. Lesson Context

Last week’s lesson articulated God’s

great promise to David that the Lord

would establish a kingdom from the line

of David that would last forever. A�er

many centuries have elapsed, today’s

lesson brings us to the fulfillment of that

promise.

Luke’s Gospel opens with the

announcement of two very important

births. @e angel Gabriel appeared to the

priest Zechariah to announce that his

aging (and barren) wife, Elizabeth, was to

bear a son to prepare Israel for the com-

ing of the Messiah (Luke 1:17). In due

course, Elizabeth’s son was named

John—eventually known to us as John the

Baptist. @e fact that Zechariah was ren-

dered mute was a sign of the power of

God and the certainty of his promise, as

well as a rebuke to Zechariah’s skepti-

cism.

Some six months later, Gabriel

appeared to the young virgin Mary in the

town of Nazareth. Gabriel told her that

she would give birth to a son to be named

Jesus (Luke 1:31). @e promises made

about this child were of the highest

order. He would be called the Son of God

and was to sit on the throne of David

forever (1:32, 33). Mary was overwhelmed

by the magnitude of the news but never-

theless pledged her obedience (1:38).

Today’s lesson opens as she sets out to



visit Elizabeth, a member of her

extended family (1:36).

I. Family Visit(LUKE 1:39–45)

A. Traveling (vv. 39, 40)

39, 40. At that time Mary got ready

and hurried to a town in the hill coun-

try of Judea, where she entered

Zechariah’s home and greeted Eliza-

beth.

While the phrase at that time is not

exceptionally precise, we should assume

that the events of today’s text occurred

very shortly a�er Gabriel appeared to

Mary (see Lesson Context).

&e hill country refers to the region

around Jerusalem (compare Luke 1:65). It

is difficult to be more specific about the

destination. Some commentators suggest

that a town in Judea is a reference to the

city of Hebron. @e book of Joshua

recounts that “Kiriath Arba (that is,

Hebron), with its surrounding pasture

land, in the hill country of Judah” was

given to the priests (Joshua 21:10, 11). All

of this matches up well with what we

know about Zechariah and Elizabeth both

being from priestly families (see Joshua

21:13; Luke 1:5).

If Mary travels from Nazareth to

Hebron, her journey is at least 70 miles.

@e fact that Mary sets out on this jour-

ney is amazing. According to the customs

of the day, she should be accompanied on

a journey of such length. Luke’s lack of

details shows that he is more concerned

with moving the narrative forward than

on the minutiae of the journey.

Mary greets Elizabeth when she

arrives in Elizabeth’s home. @is is impor-

tant to Luke, given that he mentions it

three times (see Luke 1:40, 41, 44). @is

initial greeting accords with the social

norms of the day. Elizabeth is the supe-

rior of the two: she’s considerably older

than Mary (see 1:7), the wife of a priest,

and thus a descendant of Aaron. Given

these facts, it is proper for Mary to initi-

ate the greetings.

B. Jumping for Joy (v. 41)

41. When Elizabeth heard Mary’s

greeting, the baby leaped in her

womb, and Elizabeth was filled with

the Holy Spirit.

We do not know the content of Mary’s

greeting, but we do know something of

its results. Luke has already noted that

John would be filled with the Holy Spirit

in anticipation of the coming of Jesus

(see Luke 1:15–17). When John leaps in his

mother’s womb, he begins to fulfill this

role as the one who will go before the

Lord to proclaim his coming.

But Elizabeth too is filled with the Holy

Spirit. @is is a clear indication that what-



ever she is about to say or do will be

prophetic in nature (compare Acts 2:4–41).

C. Praising (vv. 42–45)

42. In a loud voice she exclaimed:

“Blessed are you among women, and

blessed is the child you will bear!

Elizabeth greets Mary with a surpris-

ing fullness and richness of language.

She places herself in a subordinate role

to Mary, who is blessed … among women,

and whose child is likewise blessed. 'e

form and content of Elizabeth’s proclama-

tion is definite in its prophetic quality.

'e loud volume of her voice in this con-

text indicates conviction (compare 2

Chronicles 15:14; Ezra 10:12; Nehemiah

9:3–5). Similar language is used elsewhere

of Elizabeth’s own son, John. John’s

preaching will be, in the words of Isaiah

the prophet, as “a voice of one calling in

the wilderness” (Mark 1:3; see Isaiah 40:3).

43. “But why am I so favored, that

the mother of my Lord should come to

me?

In greeting Mary as the mother of my

Lord, Elizabeth indicates her submission

to Mary’s unborn baby. Her use of the

term my Lord is extremely significant,

echoing earlier messianic prophecies

(Psalm 110:1; compare Ma9hew 22:44;

Mark 12:36). It anticipates Jesus’ designa-

tion as Lord at his exaltation to the right

hand of God (see Acts 2:33–36). Elizabeth

expresses amazement that she is privi-

leged to be a part of the work of God in

and through Mary.

44. “As soon as the sound of your

greeting reached my ears, the baby in

my womb leaped for joy.

'e Holy Spirit empowers Elizabeth

to recognize the meaning of John’s leap-

ing and to articulate its significance in

the moment. Luke connects joy with the

coming of salvation and redemption (see

Luke 1:14, 47). Leaping can be associated

explicitly or implicitly with joy and salva-

tion in Luke’s writings (see 6:23; a differ-

ent but related word is used in Acts 3:8;

14:10).

45. “Blessed is she who has believed

that the Lord would fulfill his prom-

ises to her!”

Mary is additionally called blessed

because she has believed what the angel

revealed to her. Mary’s acceptance obvi-

ously contrasts with Zechariah’s reaction

(Luke 1:20).

Elizabeth’s first blessing was spoken

in the second person (Luke 1:42: “Blessed

are you”), while this one is pronounced in

the third person (blessed is she). 'is more

general address opens the blessing to all

who believe what God reveals about his

Son and respond in obedience (John

6:37–40; 17:20–26; 20:29).

SAY SOMETHING NICE



Most funerals feature a eulogy. 'is

compound Greek word could be trans-

lated “good words.” It can be tricky to

create a eulogy for certain people! Take

President Richard Nixon for example. His

legacy is always associated with Water-

gate. What “good words” could be spoken

at his funeral?

President Bill Clinton delivered a

memorable tribute to President Nixon in

1994. Clinton acknowledged Nixon’s mis-

takes but declared that he should not be

remembered solely for them. “May the

day of judging President Nixon on any-

thing less than his entire life and career

come to a close,” Clinton implored. He

instead focused on President Nixon’s

accomplishments.

While eulogies are associated with

funerals, the eulogy of Jesus was given

before he was born! 'rough the Holy

Spirit, Elizabeth spoke good words that

announced the good news about Jesus,

even while he was still in the womb. How

much more should we bless his name!

—J. E.

What Do You Think?

What one habit do you most need to

develop to prepare you for times

when God prompts you to speech

or action?

Digging Deeper


develop to know when to keep

silent (Mark 9:5–7; etc.)?

What Do You Think?


develop to prepare you for times

when God prompts you to speech

or action?

Digging Deeper


develop to know when to keep

silent (Mark 9:5–7; etc.)?

II. Expectant Mother’s Song(LUKE 1:46–56)

A. Blessings for Mary (vv. 46–48)

46. And Mary said: “My soul glori-

fies the Lord

Mary responds to Elizabeth’s greeting

with the song that forms the bulk of

today’s text. Like the Psalms and other

poetry of the Old Testament, Mary’s Song

(oJen referred to as the Magnificat)

derives its poetic qualities not from

meter or rhyme, but from the expression

of ideas in parallels. Two, three, or more

statements follow one another to express

similar concepts. 'is creates a lyrical

effect that conveys both thought and

emotion.

'e themes of Mary’s song are famil-

iar to readers of the Old Testament. Mary

adapts traditional expressions of hope in

God’s promises as she reacts to God’s

announcement that he is about to fulfill

those promises. Mary’s song most closely

resembles Hannah’s prayer of praise

aJer the birth of Samuel (see 1 Samuel

2:1–10).

For the Old Testament poets and

prophets, the days when God would ful-

fill his promises lay in the uncertain

future (Hebrews 11:1, 2, 39, 40). 'ose



future (Hebrews 11:1, 2, 39, 40). 'ose

poets and prophets could not say when or

how God would fulfill his pledge to bless

his people (Romans 15:8; 2 Corinthians

1:20), restore them to himself (Isaiah

49:8; Hosea 14:4), and make all nations his

(Psalms 46:10; 102:21, 22; Zephaniah 3:9).

'ey could only affirm God’s faithfulness:

if he has made a promise, then he will

fulfill it—period (Deuteronomy 32:4). In

times of distress, hope is to be found in

God’s rock-solid faithfulness.

In contrast with the Old Testament

poets and prophets, Mary stands at the

very threshold of fulfillment. She is preg-

nant with the child through whom God

will act to do what he has promised. But

the fulfillment of God’s promise comes at

a cost: she is burdened with a pregnancy

that will appear to everyone around her

to be the result of sexual immorality

(Luke 4:22), not divine intervention. And

beyond the birth of her child, she too

cannot say how God will go about fulfill-

ing his pledge (2:34, 35, 41–51). Even so,

she can, like the prophets before her,

celebrate God’s faithfulness.

47. “and my spirit rejoices in God

my Savior,

'e focus of Luke 1:46–50 is on God’s

blessings for Mary personally. An exam-

ple of the parallelism characteristic of

Hebrew poetry is Mary’s use of soul and

spirit in these first two verses to refer to

the depths of her being (compare Isaiah

26:9).

'e main idea of the verse before us is

echoed in Habakkuk 3:18: “Yet I will

rejoice in the Lord, I will be joyful in God

my Savior.” 'e term Savior highlights

God’s ability to rescue people from diffi-

cult circumstances (Isaiah 63:8, 9). In the

immediate context, this may include

Mary’s amazement that God has healed

the pain of Elizabeth’s infertility. 'e

theme of God’s salvation and his ability to

do what seems impossible underlies all of

Luke 1, especially Mary’s song.

48. “for he has been mindful of the

humble state of his servant. From now

on all generations will call me blessed,

As Mary’s song progresses, she out-

lines the reasons for her praise. First, the

fact that God regards the humble state of

his servant reveals his character. 'e

psalmist saw God’s care for the lowly as

central for understanding his work in the

world (example: Psalm 138:6). 'e word

translated humble state is also rendered

“humiliation” (Acts 8:33; James 1:10;

compare Philippians 3:21). Mary seems to

be referring to the oppression of poverty

that she—and Israel as a whole—are suf-

fering under (see commentary on Luke

1:52, 53).

We should take special note of Mary’s

humility. To be God’s servant echoes the

similar expression in Hannah’s song (see



1 Samuel 1:16, 18). 'e Greek word could

be less poetically but more pointedly

translated female slave. Mary’s use of the

term recalls her earlier response to the

angel Gabriel aJer being told that she

was to conceive miraculously (Luke 1:38).

'is is a response of total submission by

one who recognizes her unworthiness to

be blessed in such a manner.

What Do You Think?

Without giving advice, how might you

counsel someone whose circum-

stances lead him or her to doubt

God’s goodness and mercy?

Digging Deeper

How would your counsel to a believer

differ from counsel to an unbe-

liever? Why?

B. ;e Mighty One (vv. 49–51)

49. “for the Mighty One has done

great things for me—holy is his name.

Mary gives a second reason for praise:

she has some inkling of the nature of the

great things God is doing through her.

Two key a9ributes of God are empha-

sized as the cause of his work.

'e title the Mighty One calls to mind

the imagery of God as a warrior on behalf

of his people that is found throughout

the Old Testament (see Deuteronomy

10:17, 18; Isaiah 10:20–27; 49:25, 26). God’s

might cannot be separated from his holi-

ness (Habakkuk 1:12). Isaiah frequently

refers to God as “the Holy One” (Isaiah

1:4; 5:19, 24; 10:20; 12:6; etc.). 'e creatures

that gather around the throne of God

constantly say, “ ‘Holy, holy, holy is the

Lord God Almighty,’ who was, and is, and

is to come” (Revelation 4:8).

50. “His mercy extends to those

who fear him, from generation to

generation.

'is verse shiJs from focusing on

God’s might and holiness to his mercy.

Indeed, his might and his mercy are

joined together in a seamless whole in

this song. 'e God who is a warrior also

liJs up the lowly, shows mercy to those

who fear him, fills the hungry, and so

forth. 'e phrase those who fear him

recalls the language of proverbs. 'e fear

of God is associated with wisdom and

with blessing (Proverbs 1:7; 3:7, 8; 9:10–12;

etc.).

From generation to generation calls to

mind the fact that God’s promises endure;

they do not fail (Exodus 20:4–6; Psalm

33:11; Isaiah 34:17).

ALL GENERATIONS

Generational differences are real! But

what are these generations? Sociologists

and others recognize several, though the

dates can differ slightly.

OJen referred to as the Greatest

Generation (born 1901–1924), its members



survived the Great Depression and World

War II, leading the country to rebuild

a�er both. �e Silent Generation (born

1925–1942) followed and maintained their

accomplishments.

Baby Boomers (born 1943–1964) came

next. �ey have been referred to as ideal-

ists, not content with the world that was

le� to them. Generation X (born

1965–1979) has been called the latchkey

generation; they cared for themselves,

o�en with limited parental a1ention.

Today, much focus is given to the Millen-

nials (born 1980–2000) whose influence

in shaping the world now predominates.

Mary recognized that the work God

had done and would do through Jesus

would affect every generation—those of

her day and of all the days to come. What

characteristics do you share with the

Jesus Generation?

—J. E.

51a. “He has performed mighty

deeds with his arm;

With this verse, the lens begins to pan

out to take in more of the surroundings.

We move from a focus on Mary to a

broader consideration of God’s dealings

with humanity. �is is not the first time

God has performed mighty deeds with his

arm (see Deuteronomy 26:8; Psalms

89:10, 13; 136:12; Jeremiah 32:21); now he

stands ready to do it again through the

coming of his Son to redeem humanity.

51b. “he has sca�ered those who

are proud in their inmost thoughts.

�e Greek word behind thoughts

refers to the understanding or the mus-

ings of a person (Ephesians 4:18; 1 John

5:20). God has sca�ered those who are

arrogant in their understanding or their

a1itudes.

�ough Mary exults in God’s ability to

know and judge the thoughts of the

proud, we should assume these prideful

a1itudes are making themselves known

in conduct as well. Pride contrasts with

humility; only one of these a1itudes

finds a reward in God’s presence

(Proverbs 29:23).

What Do You Think?

How would you respond to those who

point out situations where God

seems to be absent because

wicked people are prospering?

Digging Deeper

What teachings of Jesus’ support your

response? How would you use

Judges 6:12, 13; Jeremiah 12:1;

and/or Habakkuk 1:2–4?

C. A Great Reversal (vv. 52, 53)

52, 53. “He has brought down rulers

from their thrones but has li'ed up

the humble. He has filled the hungry

with good things but has sent the rich

away empty.



�e theme of reversal becomes

explicit here. �e rulers and the

rich—those who exult in their own

strength and power in opposition to

God—are very o�en honored in this

world. But in God’s purposes, those who

are humble and the hungry are the recipi-

ents of his gracious action (compare

Ma1hew 5:45). Mary recognizes that her

situation is only one example of a time

when God has li�ed up the lowly.

Jesus will reiterate the point made

here in Luke 1:53 when he preaches his

Sermon on the Plain. At that time, he will

pronounce blessings on the hungry and

the poor (Luke 6:20, 21)—blessings

paired with woes on the rich and well fed

(6:24, 25).

�e rich, by contrast, are sent … away

empty. �ey receive no consolation

because they have placed all their earthly

efforts into accumulating power and

possessions for themselves. �ey have

not cared about the suffering people who

are around them (16:19–31). It is not to be

so in the kingdom that God’s Son comes

to establish (Ma1hew 25:31–46).

What Do You Think?


use passages like this to argue

that true believers will always be

prosperous?

Digging Deeper

In addition to John 15:20; 2 Corinthi-

ans 6:3–10; and Hebrews

11:36–38, what other texts would

be important to consider?

What Do You Think?


use passages like this to argue

that true believers will always be

prosperous?

Digging Deeper

In addition to John 15:20; 2 Corinthi-

ans 6:3–10; and Hebrews

11:36–38, what other texts would

be important to consider?

D. Blessings for Israel (vv. 54–56)

54. “He has helped his servant

Israel, remembering to be merciful

Mary’s song now focuses on Israel.

God is about to do something new

through Mary, but that new thing is part

of a long history of God’s work through

his covenant people. Mary sings that God

has helped … Israel. God does this by

remembering to be merciful, an idea found

in the Old Testament (examples: Genesis

8:1; Psalms 25:6, 7; 98:3).

�e people of Israel have languished

under foreign domination for many cen-

turies, most recently by the Romans. God

has Israel in mind and is on the move to

help them. But the help he is bringing is

not what people anticipate.

What Do You Think?

What can you do to prepare yourself

to be Jesus’ representative to

those feeling forgotten by God?

Digging Deeper

How do Job 2:11–13 and 16:1–5

inform your preparation?

55. “to Abraham and his descen-

dants forever, just as he promised our

ancestors.”



ancestors.”

�e reasons for Mary’s praise are

embedded deeply in the original promise

that God made to our ancestors, as well as

to Abraham and his descendants forever (see

Genesis 12:1–3; Galatians 3:16). �e coming

of the Son is not a radical break with that

promise but a fulfillment of it.

Visual for Lessons 3 & 4. While discussing the

questions with verse 48, ask how Christians’

being the temple of the Lord informs their

answers.

56. Mary stayed with Elizabeth for

about three months and then returned

home.

Since the six months of Luke 1:36 and

the three of the verse at hand equals nine,

we wonder if Mary stays long enough for

John’s birth. �e text doesn’t say.

Conclusion

A. A Song of Praise

God was working out his purpose for

and through Mary. What he began in his

humble servant has spread through the

world as the good news of Christ is told in

all nations to all people. Her song still

resonates today as Christians seek to care

for the lowly and disadvantaged, spread-

ing hope that God sees every trial and has

a plan to make salvation available to

everyone. In this season, spread hope in

God’s Son!

B. Prayer

Father, we are thankful for your work

through Mary. Teach us to see the ways

in which you work through those the

world considers “lowly.” We pray in

Jesus’ name. Amen.

C. 7ought to Remember

God works through even the lowliest to

achieve his highest purposes.

INVOLVEMENT LEARNING

Enhance your lesson with NIV Bible

Student (from your curriculum supplier)

and the reproducible activity page (at

www.standardlesson.com or in the back of

the NIV Standard Lesson Commentary

Deluxe Edition).

Into the Lesson

Divide the class in half. Members of



one half will name a single blessing that

most of them enjoy in common. �en the

other half is to respond similarly, but the

blessing they name must begin with the

last le1er of the first group’s response.

�e first group then is to respond by

naming a shared blessing that begins

with the last le1er of the second group’s

response. Encourage creative responses.

Play continues until one group is

unable to answer. (Give groups enough

time to confer when it’s their turn, but

don’t let the game drag out.) Play as many

rounds as time and interest allow.

Alternative. Distribute copies of the

“Bless You!” exercise from the activity

page, which you can download. Have

students work individually to complete

the activity as indicated in no more than

one minute.

A�er either activity say, “To be

blessed is to recognize and enjoy some

kind of prosperity. In describing the visit

of Mary to Elizabeth, Luke repeatedly

wrote of blessing and being blessed. Let’s

see what this has to do with us.”

Into the Word

Put students into three groups and

give each a handout (you prepare) as fol-

lows: “To Jesus and John the Baptist”

Group: Luke 1:39–44; see also Mark 1:1–4.

“To Mary” Group: Luke 1:45–49; see also

Luke 2:33–35. “To All Generations”

Group: Luke 1:50–56; see also Ma1hew

19:28–30.

Include on each handout the follow-

ing instructions: “Messages sent via Twit-

ter (known as tweets) were limited to 140

characters originally. �is was to ensure

that users communicated succinctly. Do

the same here, addressing your tweets to

the namesake(s) of your groups. Use the

passages on your handout as a source of

content.”

Give the groups 10 minutes to work

on their tweets. Move among the groups

to offer encouragement as needed. Use

the commentary and these sample tweets

to help groups that seem to be stuck.

“To Jesus and John the Baptist”

Group: “You are relatives whose des-

tinies were intertwined before birth. �e

older will introduce the younger to the

world as the Lamb of God!” [134 charac-

ters including spaces, not including quo-

tation marks]

“To Mary” Group: “Your faith and

courage will allow the great things

promised to you to be fulfilled. Joyful

news now turns later into heart-piercing

sorrow.” [139 characters]

“To All Generations” Group: “Your

world will be turned upside down! �e

Messiah will take the power from the

arrogant. �e downtrodden will be exalt-

ed.” [122 characters]

Have groups explain their tweets.



Point out that today’s text sets the stage

for the entire gospel.

Into Life

Say, “�e word blessed occurs four

times in today’s text. In two of those

cases, the word being translated is the

source of our English word eulogy. We

think of eulogies in terms of funerals,

but in Luke 1:42b the word is used in

anticipation of Jesus’ earthly ministry. In

what ways have you been blessed by

him?” Depending on class size, this can

be for discussions in small groups or as a

whole class. Expect “eternal life” to be the

first and top answer; if it’s not, explore

why.

Announce a time of singing about

being blessed by God as you distribute

hymnals or public-domain lyrics from

the internet. Possible hymns are “Come,

�ou Fount of Every Blessing,” “Count

Your Blessings,” and “�ere Shall Be

Showers of Blessings.” Close with prayer,

allowing participants to verbalize thanks

to God for his blessings.

Option. As learners depart, distribute

copies of the “Praying from the Psalms”

exercise from the activity page as a take-

home. To encourage completion, promise

to discuss the results at the beginning of

the next class.

To print the reproducible activity page,

simply click the highlighted text below to

create a pdf file on your hard drive. �en

open the pdf file in Acrobat Reader and

print.

Activity Page (December 22—Mary’s

Praise)


Documents

(The NIV Standard Lesson Commentary, 2019 2020)frbcatlanta.com/wp-content/uploads/documents/pdf/... · 12/22/2019 · Hebron), with its surrounding pasture land, in the hill country